1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-operational electronic device, which is used mainly in centralized control systems of various electronic apparatuses or others and driven by tilting, rotating and pressing its operating lever.
2. Background Art
Conventionally known multi-operational electronic devices include a multi-operational electronic device with push switches. This device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H10-241501 and is described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 8-11.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the conventional multi-operational electronic device with the push switches. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9xe2x80x949 in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the same multi-operational electronic device.
As shown in FIGS. 8-10, inverted-U-shaped metal cover 1, quadrangular frame 2 and fixed-contact board 3 cooperatively form a box-like casing, which has circular opening 1A in the center of its upper surface. Fixed-contact board 3, positioned at a lower part of the box-like casing, has push switch 7A at its center, and a plurality of push switches 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E arranged around push switch 7A, and these push switches 7A-7E each operate when pressed downward. The box-like casing includes upwardly projecting resilient fixed contacts 8.
Rotary member 9 is rotatably held by intermediate wall 4 of the box-like casing and holds contact plate 10 functioning as a movable contact corresponding to resilient fixed contacts 8.
Operating member 12 is constructed of polygonal ball-like member 12A, which is positioned at a lower end of operating member 12 and polygonal in horizontal section, and cylindrical operating lever 12B extending upward.
Polygonal ball-like member 12A is engaged in polygonal through-hole 9A defined in the center of rotary member 9 so as to be tiltable and vertically movable independently of rotary member 9 and to rotate with rotary member 9 and is in contact with central push switch 7A at its lower surface. Operating lever 12B projects from circular opening 1A in the upper surface of the box-like casing through central circular hole 13A of drive member 13.
Drive member 13 is a substantially polygonal plate and has domelike projection 13B in the center of its upper surface. This projection 13B is in contact with the box-like casing at circular opening 1A so as to be turnable and tiltable. Operating lever 12B of operating member 12 engages through central circular hole 13A so as to be rotatable and vertically movable.
Drive member 13 also has projections 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D extending from its lower surface and contacting respective outer push switches 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E.
Click spring 11 provides a click feel during rotation.
A description is hereinafter provided of an operation of the multi-operational electronic device having the above structure. When operating lever 12B is tilted to the right as indicated by arrow X in FIGS. 8 and 9 by application of lateral pushing force, operating member 12 turns to the right on its polygonal ball-like member 12A, as shown in FIG. 11. Accordingly, drive member 13 engaging with an intermediate portion of operating lever 12B tilts in direction XI, whereby its projection 14A located in direction XI presses outer push switch 7B downward, effecting operation of this push switch 7B.
When operating lever 12B is released from the lateral pushing force, push switch 7B pushes projection 14A or drive member 13 back from beneath due to its resilient restoring force. Consequently, operating member 12 returns to its original neutral position shown in FIG. 9.
When operating lever 12B is rotated so that operating member 12 rotates while being held in the neutral position, rotary member 9 engaging with polygonal ball-like member 12A of operating member 12 to rotate with this ball-like member 12A rotates with drive member 13 staying still. Accordingly, resilient fixed contacts 8 slide resiliently on contact plate 10 positioned at a lower surface of rotary member 9, thereby producing an electric signal.
When operating lever 12B is pressed downward as indicated by arrow V in FIGS. 8 and 9 by application of downward pushing force, with drive member 13 and rotary member 9 staying still, polygonal ball-like member 12A at the lower end of operating member 12 presses central push switch 7A downward, whereby this push switch 7A is operated.
In the conventional multi-operational electronic device described above, polygonal ball-like member 12A of operating member 12 has a slight clearance where this ball-like member 12A is engaged in polygonal through-hole 9A of rotary member 9 in order not to transmit the vertical movement of operating member 12 to rotary member 9 when central push switch 7A is operated at the press of operating lever 12B.
The clearance at the above-mentioned engagement, however, provides looseness in the rotating direction when rotary member 9 is rotated through the rotation of operating lever 12B of operating member 12 for generation of the electric signal. Thus, there has been a problem that the clearance has given a feel of backlash to a hand of a user, particularly when the rotating direction is reversed.
Also, there has been a problem that the multi-operational electronic device has, as a whole, the increased number of elements, which has increased cost because outer push switches 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, are arranged as discrete, independent switches on fixed-contact board 3 of the box-like casing.
A multi-operational electronic device of the present invention includes:
(a) a first switch including:
first fixed contacts arranged in a circle at established angular intervals on an inner surface of a first contact board; and
a resilient movable contact having a circular domelike shape large enough to cover all of the first fixed contacts across an established space and a through-hole in a center of the resilient movable contact, the resilient movable contact made of resilient sheet metal;
(b) a first casing including a circular opening in a center of an upper surface of the first casing;
(c) a first drive member stored in the first casing, the first drive member including: a turnable and tiltable domelike part extending along a border of an upper surface of the first drive member and contacting the first casing about the circular opening; a central hole through which an operating shaft including an operating lever at an upper part of the operating shaft is engaged to move vertically and rotate; and a specified projection provided on a lower surface of the first drive member and contacting an upper surface of the resilient movable contact in a position corresponding to the first fixed contacts in the first casing;
(d) a second casing placed below the first casing concentrically with the first casing and coupled to the first casing through a through-hole of the first casing, the second casing including: a central switch, which operates when pressed against a central part of an inner surface of a second contact board serving as a bottom of the second casing; and a second fixed contact extending along a circle surrounding the central switch; and
(e) a second drive member stored in the second casing, the second drive member including: a rotatable outer cylinder vertically supported and having, on a lower surface of the outer cylinder, a rotary movable contact, which engages with the second fixed contact to generate an electric signal for a rotary signal generator; an inner cylinder fixed to a lower part of the operating shaft passing through the through-hole of the resilient movable contact of the first switch; and a connecting part connecting the outer and inner cylinders to allow the outer and inner cylinders to move with each other in a rotating direction and to expand and contract vertically, the outer and inner cylinders and the connecting part being integrally formed of elastic resin.